Why commission a rug at all
Three reasons, usually. An unusual room dimension that no production rug fits. A specific colourway that has to resolve with a particular paint, fabric, or existing piece. Or a design concept that simply does not exist in the retail market — a particular pattern scale, a specific field-to-border ratio, a one-off for a client who wants exactly the rug they described and not the closest available approximation.
A bespoke commission solves all three. It is also the only way to own a hand-knotted rug made to your specification at a known knot density, in the material you chose, in the dimensions you need. The trade-off is time: a custom rug is a 16–24 week project, and good custom rugs cannot be rushed.
Ghorban’s weaver network
Our custom program runs through a network of master weavers — a group we have worked with directly for over thirty years, across Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan. Every piece is hand-knotted on a traditional loom by weavers trained in the regional technique (Persian asymmetric knot, Turkish symmetric knot, Pakistani Persian-style). There is no machine work, no hand-tufted shortcut, no glued backing.
This is the same network that produces commissions for institutional projects that have, over the years, been tied to collaborations with conservators at major museums. The distinction is not marketing — it is a specific group of weavers with identifiable work, pricing on a per-KPSI basis rather than retail markup.
The four decision points
Every commission resolves four variables before a knot is tied:
- Dimensions. Exact finished size. We measure the space in person for Chicago-area commissions; for remote clients, we work from drawings with a specified tolerance. Hand-knotted rugs finish within ±1% of specified dimensions.
- Material. Wool is the most common — hand-spun New Zealand wool for most contemporary work, hand-spun Iranian wool for reproduction of traditional patterns. Silk and wool-silk blends for finer pieces. Foundation is typically cotton; silk foundation is available on fine pieces.
- Knot density (KPSI). 100–150 KPSI for tribal and Moroccan-style, 150–250 for standard city-style commissions, 300–500 for fine Tabriz-level work, 600+ for silk Qum-style. Density drives both cost and detail resolution.
- Pattern and colourway. Your own design, a traditional pattern from our catalogue, or a collaboration with our master conservator on a new composition. Colour is worked against Pantone references or physical fabric/paint swatches you supply.
Two sample rounds
We do not go to full production without two approved samples. The first is a small colour-and-knot-density sample, usually 6×9 inches, dyed from the exact wool lots that will be used on the rug and knotted at the approved density. You see the actual colour, the actual hand, the actual knot resolution before committing.
If the first sample needs adjustment — the ivory is slightly too warm, the indigo is slightly too grey — a second sample follows. Sample rounds add 2–4 weeks to the timeline but eliminate the number-one cause of custom-rug disappointment: a finished piece that arrives and is not what the client pictured.
Timeline — why 16 weeks, and why faster is worse
A hand-knotted 8×10 at 200 KPSI requires roughly 2,300,000 individual knots tied by hand. A skilled weaver ties 8,000–12,000 knots per day. The math is unforgiving — that rug is 20–30 weaving days plus dye, finish, and shipping. Add the two sample rounds, and 16 weeks is the compressed end of the realistic range.
Operations that promise 8-week custom rugs are almost always using hand-tufted construction (glued backing, inferior structure, 5–10 year lifespan) rather than hand-knotted (no glue, 80+ year lifespan). For an explanation of the structural difference, see how to identify an antique rug — the test on the back is the same for new pieces.
Pricing — by material and KPSI
- Wool, 100–150 KPSI: $18–$30 per square foot
- Wool, 150–250 KPSI: $25–$50 per square foot
- Fine wool, 300–500 KPSI: $60–$120 per square foot
- Wool-silk blend, 300–500 KPSI: $120–$200 per square foot
- Pure silk, 400–800 KPSI: $200–$500+ per square foot
Pricing is all-in: design consultation, two sample rounds, production, finishing, insured international shipping, customs, and final inspection at our Skokie workshop before delivery. Full details on the custom rugs page.
What designers get differently
Interior designers and architects commissioning through our Trade Partner program receive 15–25% preferred pricing, 48-hour estimate turnaround, and co-branded documentation for client presentations. The sample rounds and quality control are identical to retail; the commercial terms are different.
How to start
Send a brief through the contact form with approximate dimensions, your starting concept (swatch, inspiration image, paint name, or written description), and your timeline. We respond within 24 hours with preliminary pricing and a consultation date. No deposit required until the first sample is approved.